TheKitchn.com

Your eyes do not deceive you. This is breakfast that you can eat one-handed while walking to the bus stop, and it has just as much going for it as a bowl of yogurt with granola and fruit. In fact, it is a bowl of yogurt -- just in frozen popsicle form. Time to dig out those popsicle molds!

The yogurt

I use Greek yogurt for the base of these breakfast pops, because I love its tangy flavor and it's what I usually have in the fridge. Since Greek yogurt is so thick, you need to thin it out with a bit of milk to make it easy to layer into the popsicle molds. While you're at it, whisk in a little honey to keep things sweet. If you're not into Greek yogurt, you could use regular yogurt instead; no need to thin it out, though.

The berries

Now let's talk about the jammy berry layer. Berries are so amazing right now (hello, mid-summer!), but even the freshest, ripest berries tend to freeze into tasteless rocks if left to their own devices. This is why I take things one extra step with these popsicles and make a quick jam with the fresh fruit. Cooking them and adding a bit of sugar gives the berries a deeper flavor that carries over into frozen form; plus, the sugar keeps the fruit a soft enough to nibble even when frozen. If you're short on time or short on berries, you can also substitute a fruit jam or preserves. You'll need about a cup of preserves for these popsicles.

The granola

Use any granola you like. These popsicles are especially handy for using up a handful of leftover granola that's gone a bit stale. Once layered into the popsicles and frozen, the granola softens to the consistency of soft oatmeal cookies. And, yes, that's just as delicious as you're hoping it will be.

My popsicle molds (these from Tovolo) each hold about 1/2 cup of yogurt parfait goodness. For me, this is the perfect amount to start my day or -- let's be honest here -- finish it. Either way, my freezer is going to be stocked with a steady supply of these yogurt popsicles from now until the end of summer.

Yogurt Parfait Breakfast Popsicles

Makes 6 popsicles

1 1/2 pints strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped (around 3 cups chopped)

1/4 cup sugar (or honey)

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

2 to 3 tablespoons honey

3/4 cups granola

Combine the strawberries and sugar (or honey) in a small saucepan and stir gently to combine. Let the berries macerate on the counter for at least 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and syrupy.

Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a rapid simmer. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the strawberries are thick and jammy. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. You should have about 1 cup of jammy fruit. (At this point, the strawberries can be refrigerated for up to a week.)

When ready to assemble the popsicles, whisk together the yogurt, 1/4 cup of the milk and 2 tablespoons of honey. The yogurt should be thick, but pourable (roughly the consistency of regular yogurt). If needed, whisk in a little more milk. Taste and add more honey if desired.

Scoop out 1/4 cup of the yogurt mixture and stir it into the granola. This will help the granola freeze into the popsicles.

Arrange six popsicle molds (1/2 cup capacity) on your work surface. Pour a generous spoonful of yogurt into the bottom of each mold. Add a scoop of granola and then a spoonful or two of strawberries. Continue layering yogurt, granola and strawberries until the molds are filled. Tap the molds lightly against the counter, or use a popsicle stick to work out any air bubbles between the layers.

Insert popsicle sticks into each mold and place the popsicles in the freezer. Freeze until solid, at least 6 hours.

To unmold, run the popsicle molds under hot running water for a few seconds and gently easy the popsicles out of the molds. Popsicles will keep in the freezer for several weeks.

Recipe notes: You can substitute 1 1/4 cups of regular yogurt for the Greek yogurt. As long as it's pourable, there's no need to thin the yogurt any further.

The strawberries can be replaced with an equal amount of any other fruit.

You can also substitute 1 cup any flavor of jam or fruit preserves for the berries. Skip the jam-making step and proceed with assembling the popsicles.

(Emma Christensen is a writer for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)